Do you remember when your mom used to say, ‘You will be judged by the company you keep’ whenever you were with your friends? It’s because we human beings are so predictable! Believe it or not, we leave very little to the imagination. All it takes is for someone to take a close look at our skin, our behavior, or our surroundings to get the whole picture. Did you know that the inside of your refrigerator is like an express ‘home test’ of what is happening or could happen in the short term to your health? As simple as that! This is because the type of food you keep is a clear indication of the choices you make when it comes to eating. Which, of course, makes a big difference between having good or bad health. Here, we will provide the rundown on worst food choices and how you can improve them.
Craving something sweet?
If your fridge is filled with ice creams, cupcakes, sauces, and jams, that’s not very encouraging news. Sweet products not only have a lot of sugar, but also contain salt, fat, preservatives, artificial colors, and flavorings, which culminate into a ticking time bomb for your health. What do you think might happen, aside from damaging tooth enamel? Chances are that you are currently or will soon suffer from:
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Increased inflammation
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Weight gain
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Insulin resistance
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Diabetes
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Obesity
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Fatty liver
How to replace sweets?
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With fresh fruits and vegetables, which are the best way to enjoy different flavors like sweetness, that contribute antioxidants, minerals, and lots of fiber! (3, 4)
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If you have a sweet tooth, make your own fresh or frozen fruit ice creams, smoothies, desserts, and juices, without additives. You can also try a myriad of salads, juices, or green smoothies. G Getting the proper nutrients from these products decreases sugar cravings and improves the chances of eating healthier in the long run. (5)
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You can also add extra fiber to your juices or smoothies with chia seeds, flaxseed, or nopal. . This will help speed up the feeling of satiety and eliminate carbohydrates, especially sugar. (6)
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Another great way to supplement a sugar fix is to add quality protein to your daily diet (7). A scoop of whey protein in your favorite smoothie or pancake mix with fruit for breakfast will make you feel fuller longer. Make sure the protein is sugar-free.
Quick but dangerous dishes!
With less and less time to cook, frozen foods have saved dinnertime for millions of American families, but some have also landed in the hospital (8). Pizzas, frozen hamburgers, pastas, and sausages are examples of dangerous options we keep at the ready in the refrigerator. Do you know the amount of saturated fats we add to our body with just one product? Too many! A frozen hamburger has an average of 10 grams of fat, half of which is saturated (9). Even ready to heat breakfasts that include sausage, egg, and cheese, depending on the brand, can reach more than twice that much fat (10), accumulating in the arteries, clogging them, and affecting our heart and brain. Consider that the American Heart Association only recommends consuming a maximum of 13 grams of saturated fat per day (11).
How to replace this food at home?
By products containing unsaturated fats, which are beneficial for the body, such as salmon, trout, herring, tuna, and mackerel – as well as shellfish. These are all rich in omega 3 oils that collaborate to fight inflammation and eliminate lipids from the arteries. (12)
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Walnuts, almonds, cashews, and nuts in general.
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Sesame, pumpkin, and flax seeds.
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Olive oil.
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Low fat milk (2%) or vegetable versions like coconut, almond, or soy.
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If you love to spread margarine or butter on toast, replace it with guacamole or a little bit of peanut or almond butter.
Thirst, just another excuse
Most households save a sacred space in their refrigerator for what they believe to be thirst-quenching: sodas, sugary juices, and beers. Really? What a lousy excuse! This type of liquid does not quench thirst. Instead, it helps you gain weight, suffer from obesity, and increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and other inflammatory diseases. (13)
A fact for women to keep in mind: those who drink sugary beverages everyday double their risk of developing diabetes. (14)
With beer, many people think that because they contain less alcohol than they are also less harmful. The truth is that they can cause stomach bleeding, damage to the pancreas and liver, and swelling of the stomach or what we refer to as a beer belly, which in some cases is due to intolerance to the gluten contained in barley. (15)
How to replace unhealthy beverages?
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With pure water, which you can drink creatively by adding slices of orange, lemon, strawberries, or pineapple for a hint of flavor.
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If you enjoy juices, make your own natural juice using fruit mixed with water or ice for less sugar.
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Try tea, such as green tea, hibiscus tea, or passionflower tea. You can brew more than one cup, let it cool, and add mint leaves, basil, frozen strawberries or blueberries, and ice. Keep it in the refrigerator to drink throughout the day. It will be much more effective against thirst, and healthier, too.
An occasional review of the contents in your refrigerator, with the clear goal of improving your health, can make a huge difference in your well-being as well as your family.
Let's get healthier, together.
Your Santo Remedio Team
